Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

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Sunrise view of Gila Cliff Dwellings with brilliant sky.
Visitors enjoy panoramic views of the canyon and dwellings at Gila Cliff Dwellings.
View of Mogollon dwelling rooms within a cave.
Tularosa Phase Mogollon people made these caves their home in the late 1200's.
Cliff Dwellings walls and rooms with narrow catwalk
Most of the dwellings walls are original. Some even preserve a builder's fingerprints that are over 700 years old.
Exterior view of Mogollon Cliff Dwelling
The T-shaped door suggests trade between Mogollon and Ancestral Puebloan.
Distant view of Gila river valley and mountains beyond.
The Oldest Wilderness Area in the United States Awaits.
Light snowfall on red rock cliffs along river.
Winter wonderland along the Gila River
Eroded cliffs reflecting off a river
As the first designated Wilderness Area, the Gila offers endless opportunites peaceful reflection.
Photos: National Park Service

About Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument

For thousands of years, groups of nomads used the caves above Cliff Dweller Creek as temporary shelter. In the late 1200s, people of the agricultural Mogollon (Southern Ancestral Pueblo) culture made it a home. They built rooms, crafted pottery and raised children in the cliff dwellings for one or two generations. By approximately 1300, the Mogollon had moved on, leaving the walls behind.

Quick Facts

State New Mexico
Designation National Monument
State Code NM
Weather Weather is extremely variable. Summers are usually around 90° F. but approach 100° F. Winters have occasional snow or temperatures near 0° F. Thunderstorms are common in the summer and…

Location & Map

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is located in New Mexico.

Operating Hours

The National Monument and Visitor Center are open all year and are closed only for Thanksgiving Day (the 4th Thursday of November), Christmas Day (December 25) and New Year's Day (January 1).

Wednesday 9:00AM - 4:00PM
Monday 9:00AM - 4:00PM
Thursday 9:00AM - 4:00PM
Sunday 9:00AM - 4:00PM
Tuesday 9:00AM - 4:00PM
Friday 9:00AM - 4:00PM
Saturday 9:00AM - 4:00PM

Activities

Astronomy Stargazing Camping Car or Front Country Camping Food Picnicking Guided Tours Self-Guided Tours - Walking Hiking Backcountry Hiking Front-Country Hiking Horse Trekking Horse Camping (see also camping) Horseback Riding Junior Ranger Program Wildlife Watching Birdwatching Park Film Museum Exhibits Shopping Bookstore and Park Store

Getting There

Passenger vehicles can drive north of Silver City, New Mexico to the monument on NM Hwy 15. The 46 mile trip can take up to two hours due to the narrow and mountainous curving nature of the road. RVs and vehicles pulling trailers should NOT use NM Hwy 15. From Silver City, take US Highway 180 to Santa Clara. Turn left onto NM Hwy 152 and drive to San Lorenzo. At San Lorenzo, turn left onto NM Hwy 35 and follow it to its termination at NM Hwy 15. Turn right on NM Hwy 15 and follow signs to the park.

View Official Directions

Contact & Address

Address 26 Jim Bradford Trail, Mimbres, NM, 88049
Phone (575) 323-2904
Email gicl_information@nps.gov

Topics & Themes

Archeology Cliff Dwellings Explorers and Expeditions Farming and Agriculture Military Cavalry Wars and Conflicts Tribal Conflicts Indian and Frontier Wars Westward Expansion Homesteading Animals Birds Cats (wild) Elk Fish Wolves Caves, Caverns and Karst Canyons and Canyonlands Climate Change Fire Foothills, Plains and Valleys Plateaus and Mesas Forests and Woodlands Coniferous Forests Geology Geothermal Hot Springs Mountains Natural Sounds Night Sky Astronomy River and Riparian Scenic Views Unique Species Rare Endangered Volcanoes Watersheds Headwaters Wilderness

Visitor Centers

Gila Visitor Center

Visitors can get information for visiting the park and watch an orientation film, and tour the museum.

Hours: Gila Visitor Center

WNPA Trailhead Bookstore

At the Trailhead Bookstore, you will find our park store operated by the Western National Parks Association. Many items related to the park, the Gila…

Hours: This bookstore contains gifts, books and so much more. This is where you will find your park patches, pins and postcards, as well as maps, American Indian crafts, and more.

Campgrounds

Lower Scorpion Campground

Lower Scorpion Campground is a partially developed campground within walking distance of the West Fork of the Gila River. The campground is located less than…

7 Sites

Upper Scorpion Campground

Upper Scorpion Campground is a partially developed campground within walking distance of the West Fork of the Gila River. The campground is located less than…

12 Sites

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